Automatic brake for automotive vehicles



May 29, 1951 c. T. NICKELL 2,554,954

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR AUTOMOTIVE; VEHICLES Filed Dec. 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l HYDRAU C DowEE ScvRcE -r zsszzvouz y 29, 1951 c. T. NICKELL 2,554,954

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Dec. 17, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,AccuMuLA'roiZ RESERVOIR on. RESERVO R 1 Patented May 29, 1951 I J.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,554,954 AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR; AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Chester T. Nmkeu, Cherry Point, N. o.

- Application December 17, 1949, Serial No. 133,610

to a combined acceler- Other objects of the. present inventionare to provide a combined brake. and accelerator arrangement which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, positive and automatic in operation, consumes little space, easily assembled upon the foot board structure of the vehicle, and efficient in operation. I

For other objects and for a better understandin of the invention, reference maybe ha d to the 1 claim. (01. 192-3) through a depending bracket portion I5 of the pedal I2 which has an elongated slot I6 that will allow the pivot pin I4 to be adjusted so that it can be accommodated and permit the shaft I3 to be operated. without binding as the pedal I2 is pivoted. A coilspring I'Isurrounds the shaft I3 and reacts between a washer I8 on the floor board structure and the under side of the pedal I2 and tends to keep the pedal I2 elevated upon release of foot I9 therefrom. A wear plateZI is provided onthe under sideof thefloor structure through which the shaft I3 is adjusted and by means of which it is guided.

On the under. side of tthe floor structure I0 is a bearing bracket 22 which has a bell crank 23 pivotally connected to i it. Arm. 24 of the bell I crank has a roller 25 engaging. with under face following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a sectional view of the arrangement with the foot upon the accelerator and. slightly depressing the same.

Fig. 2 is a sectional .view of :the arrangement with the foot fully depressing the pedal whereby the valve of the .carburetor is open and the hydraulic power source cut off to permit the return of the fluid from the brake actuators to the reservoir.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the arrangement with the accelerator pedal fully released and fluid passing from the power source to the brake actuators.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of one form'of system wherein the oil is taken from the oil sump of the engine and wherein there is provided an accumulator and a master brake cylinder.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a different hydraulic system wherein a separate oil reservoir is provided and the master brake cylinder is not used.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of a still further form of the hydraulic system, similar to the sysstem shown in Fig. 5 and utilizing a pressure relief or bypass valve.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of theaccumulator used in the system shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the figures, I0 represents a floor board structure on which is a bracket II pivotally supporting an accelerator pedal I2. To the upper end of the accelerator pedal I2 there is pivotally connected a plunger shaft I3. The pivotal connection is indicated at I4 and is made of a plate formation 26 on the shaft I 3. A spring 21 maintains the roller 25 against the plate formation 26. This tension spring is connected between the arm 24 and the floor structure I0.

An arm 21 of bell crank 23 connects through a long link 28 with a butterfly valve 29 of an engine carburetor 30. .As the accelerator I2 is depressed in the manner as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the butterfly valve 29 is moved to the open position so as to permit the flow of fuel mixture to the vehicle engine.

, Above the plate formation 26 and depending from the floor board structure I0 isa hydraulic valve 3I that has an operating element 32. This operating element is connected to an operating arm 33 having a roller 34 bearing against the upper face of the plate formation 26. A pressure spring 35 keeps the roller 34 upon the plate formation 26. This valve 3I has a supply pipe 36, an input pipe 31 from a hydraulic pump or power source and a brake pipe 38, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In Fig. 4 there is shown one hydraulic system in which the present valve 3I is employed. A power source is the engine oil sump 39. Oil is lifted out of this sump 39 by a pump M and a constant pressure is maintained in the supply pipe 31 by an accumulator 42. Oil is returned to the oil sump through pipe 36. The pipe 38 is connected to a master brake cylinder 44 having a main or large piston 45 and a small piston 46 which forces the oil under high pressure to brake actuating cylinders 43' connected to brake arms 41. The accumulator comprises a casing 48, Fig. 7, which has an inlet opening 43 and, an outlet opening 50. A piston BI is supported on a spring 52 and this spring through the piston maintains a constant pressure of oil passing into chamber 53 lying above the piston 5|.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified system.

In Fig. 6, a system similar to that shown and described in Fig. 5, is used, but inaddition thereto there is provided a pressure relief "or bypz'tss valve 59.

In operation, as the foot [9 depresses th'ep'edal [2, as shown in Fig. 1, valve element.32..is moved under the action of spring "35 to'a position to close off hydraulic power source pipe 3'! whereby to release the brakes tog'aermit the return flow of fluid from the brakes to the :reservoir and simultaneously the butterfly valve 29 of the carburetor 30-is actuated to allow more air .to the-carburetor and to increasethe speed of the engine. -As-the foot i9 is released, the accelerator pedal l2will be elevated under theaction of-spring I! whereby to shut off the flow of .air .pastthe butterfly valve 29 and tocause the valve-element .32 :to be adjusted to :the position showndnj Fig. 3 whereby fluid under pressure will automatically :be delivered to the brake cylinders .to automatically apply the brakes of the vehicle. I

It will be apparent that thisjis aasimple .arrangement and that .by means of: azsingle plate formation '26 having ithe shaft 13 .that both fiche carburetor and the hydraulic-valve icanh be operated, the roller 25 of the bell crank 13 being operated by the under-face of theplate portion 26 while the roller 34 engageswith theiupper face of the plate portion'26.

Whilevarious changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such floor'board structureyan accelerating pedaI'pivotally connected to the floor board -'structure. a

plunger shaft slidable through the floor board structure and connected to the accelerator pedal to be operated by the same, a plunger plate formation on the lower end of the shaft, a bell crank adapted to be connected to the butterfly valve of a carburetor engaging with one side of the plunger plate formation, tension spring means maintaining said-bell crank arm against the face of the plunger plate, a valve "device 'for hydraulic brakes having an operating arm, and spring m'eans maintaining said operating arm against the :upper side of the plunger plate formation =wher eby as the accelerator pedal is depressed,

the carburetor valve will be operated and automatically the brake valve will be operated to prevent the-flow of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinders, said pedal having a bracket on the underside thereof, said plunger shaft having a pin on the upper end "thereof substantially at right 'angles thereto, rsaid bracket having a slot therein, said pin registering in said slot, andra wear and guide plate connected to the foot board structure-and slidably. receiving the plunger shaft, spring means extending :between'the floor board structureand .the accelerator pedal and surrounding saidiplungershaft, :said bell crank lying below the plunger plate and-having a roller for the engagement with theunder side of the same, said brake valve havingcan operating armand rollersthereon andisaidiroller engaging with the upper face of the plunger plate, and pressure spring" meansareacting between the 'floor board structure and the 'sop'erating arm of the brake valve. i

V I CHESTER T. NICKELL.

REFERENCES CITED The-following references are'of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .Number I Name Date 1,919,930 'Cash r.. 1 July '25, 1933 2,162,183 Smith June 13,1939 2188,2134 rschwennul Jan. 23, 1940 121961125 sm'ith s .Apr. 2, .1940 

